- Date
- April 20, 1990, 22:10 local (Apr 21, 1990, 03:10 UTC)
- Place
- Eldora, IA
- Injuries
- 3 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N1680PPiper PA-22-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report March 5, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900420010449A
- Case key
- 34966
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Improper planning/decision by the pilot, and his failure to maintain clearance from obstructions during the approach to land. Factors related to the accident were: the aircraft's low fuel level, darkness, the pilot's selection of the wrong airport/runway, the runway lights not operating, and the obstructions (transmission lines).
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During a night cross-country trip, the pilot noted the fuel level was getting low, so he attempted a precautionary landing on an unlighted turf airport. He attempted to activate the runway lights by using the acft's transmitter, but was unsuccessful. He had selected the wrong airport; subsequently, he was also using the wrong radio frequency for that airport. During final approach to where he thought the airport was located, the acft struck power lines, then collided with the terrain. The pilot and two psgrs suffered minor injuries; the acft sustained substantial damage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1680P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-2466
- Airframe hours
- 2,070
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A1A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Burri, Gregory D.
- Registered owner
- Burri, Greg D
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 19, 1990 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- ONL · O'Neill, NE
- Destination
- ALO · Waterloo, IA
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- 6C0 · Eldora, runway 36, 2,753 × 100 ft, grass/turf
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 33
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 137 total · 113 in this make and model · 108 as pilot in command · 17 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 90° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DSM, 60 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.